Mirage
by jackalope21
Summary: James is told he has to look after a new client in order to flush out some bigger rats, but does he know what he's gotten himself into? Rated 'T' for violence..
1. Chapter 1

"Will you call him in here for me please Money Penny?" asked a voice on the other end of a speaker box.

The door to the vast office opened and in he walked. M motioned her hand for him to sit in a chair opposite her desk next to a man James hadn't seen before.

"I understand you wanted to see me M." James said in his usual arrogant tone.

"Yes Bond. The man to your left is Mr. Connors. He is head of the American's Federal Bureau of Investigations. He is here for some help apparently."

James noticed the man next to him as he was introduced, and extended his hand in greeting. The other man shook it tightly and returned his gaze to the woman at the desk.

"Then what is this about?" James asked. "I was under the impression that the Americans never needed our help."

The distain was palpable. His words still hung in the air as M forced her mouth to remain shut and keep the insults she had reeling in her head for James quieted.

"Mr. Connors if you please." M said, ignoring her ego-driven associate.

Slowly, the man stood and walked to the far corner of the room. This gave James a better opportunity to size him up. His suit was nothing special, a store bought style that had not been altered to fit the gentleman properly so it hung lazily from his frame. His hair was thinning and his face was worn and wrinkled. Either this man had seen too many years of horrible things or he had the unfortunate business of being born as a rather unattractive man. Either way, he had made his way to James' side and handed him a manila envelope.

Eying M, James opened it and began to read.

"That is the list of the victims." He began.

"And what does this have to do with me?" James asked, his eyes still glancing over the names, and becoming slightly irritated that they continued onto the next few pages. "If they're dead, then why am I here?"

"You are needed to protect some one." Mr. Connors said.

"I think you're a bit passed protecting any of these people." James said smugly as he smiled.

"Not them James, the person who killed them." M remarked.

James said nothing, just shot an un-expected look at M.

"Shall I continue?" Mr. Connors asked, noticing James and M didn't break their stare. "The person who has quote un quote murdered these people usually works for the government. But as of lately, they have begun to disrupt our order and begun to go with the highest bidder."

"Now you're afraid they will be coming for you?"

"Not exactly." Mr. Connors continued as he walked across the room and stood in front of James. "As this person is one of the top assassins in the world, we need them to stay alive long enough to turn states evidence or something along those lines. We can't afford to let this person die. There's countless uses for them in the future."

"So I am to protect a person who kills for fun so you can use them later on if needed?"

"Yes." M said.

"From whom?"

"We aren't sure." he said. "All we know is they are suppose to make their move in the next 72 hours."

"Then who am I suppose to be protecting?"

"Mirage."

"Mirage?" James repeated.

"Have you heard of him?" Connors asked.

"He's a ghost. He's not suppose to exist."

"I'm afraid he does."

"Afraid?"

"There in lies another problem James." M said, now standing from her own desk and walking to the other side of the office to get a drink.

"Well this just keeps getting better and better."

"No one knows what Mirage looks like."

"You're serious?"

"Quite. There is very little known about this person. We don't know where he is from, what he looks like, how old he is or is he is actually a man. Just that he can speak at least six languages, and is extremely dangerous."

"Well now that I know what it is we DON"T know, why don't you fill me in on what it is you do know."

"Mirage will be contacting us in the next few hours. You are to go to the 'Taj Mahal' Restaurant and meet him there." Mr. Connors said. "You will receive a piece of paper with instructions. From there you will contact us once Mirage is in your possession."

James said nothing for a few moments. The sheer absurdity of what he was about to do was slowly sinking into his head.

"So you promote me to double "O" status, to have me baby sit some one?" James asked, his irritation apparent in his voice. M could tell he wasn't even trying to conceal it.

"You're not baby sitting Bond." M said, her own irritation rising, "Your services are needed to help find out who is behind this."

"He probably just pissed off the wrong people when he was sent in for some one." James replied, eying the man before him.

"The one and only reason you are being chosen for this assignment in the first place, is because we needed some one dumb and reckless to keep up with Mirage." he told the agent. "And you seem to fit the bill perfectly."

"That will be all Bond." M said returning to her desk.

The annoyed agent stood and walked out of the room. His rage billowing off his shoulders as he left the room, but he knew better then to slam the door. Once he had left, Connors took his seat in front of M.

"Do you think he suspects anything?" he asked.

"I don't know." M said, starring at the vacant space where James had once stood. "If he did, he will keep it to himself. Or come after you later. There is no telling with that one."

"I just hope he's as good as you say he is."

"Well like you said, you need some one to keep up with you, and I think he might be the best one for it. Whether or not he lives, I at least know he would last the longest."


	2. Chapter 2

The sweet and pungent smell of the air filled his nostrils. It was so overpowering that he nearly gagged. As he entered the restaurant, the smell grew stronger, and this time it was mixed with incense. It was beginning to make him dizzy.

A beautiful young woman showed him to his table. _What an interesting outfit… _He thought to himself as he noticed she was decorated heavily in small gold chains and silk scarves.

As he walked through the dark room, the smell began to dissipate. It had taken longer then he thought, but he was finally becoming used to it. The young woman had stopped and pointed at a small table in the corner next to the stage. It was decorated beautifully with an ornate table cloth and brightly colored candles that seemed to tie it in with the rest of the tables around him. James took his seat on the large plush pillow in front of him and tried to make himself comfortable.

"Can I get you anything to drink sir?" the woman asked.

"Vodka martini." he replied, still trying to adjust his eyes to the dimly lit room.

"Shaken or stirred?" she asked while she was writing.

"Shaken." he said, turning his gaze to her and smiling sweetly. "Please."

"Yes sir." she replied smiling wide.

James continued to sit in his corner, his eyes dancing from table to table, trying to memorize his surroundings, or at least trying to see them better. He was in a room surrounded by drunk business men who he could tell had just come to flirt and grope the female waitresses.

"Vodka martini." said a voice from the shadow. "Shaken."

He turned to see the origin of the voice. It was the beautiful young girl. She leaned down and placed his drink and napkin on the table in front of him before disappearing once again.

James extended his hand and grasped the thin glass stem of his martini glass. As he sipped, he noticed a faint lettering on his napkin. Placing his glass to the side, he opened the napkin. Inside a note was written. _I will come and find you later. Enjoy the show._

No sooner then he had placed the napkin on the table, the thick silk curtains on the stage before him opened widely. He watched as he heard the clinging of small bells as two women came walking out from the shadows and into the light. They swayed their hips for a moment before another woman came walking into the light from behind them. She was dressed a little differently then the other two. She was wearing a thick cape and a veil over her face, concealing all but her eyes.

The music began to play quietly. As it began to pick up speed, the main woman swayed back and forth before dropping her cape revealing her gorgeous clothing and a large yellow python hanging from her neck that wrapped around her body.

James watched in fascination as she danced with the snake for a few moments before the two other women walked to her side, picked up the snake and walked off stage. As the music continued to play, her hips began to pop with every drum beat. Her stomach began to writhe and move, and her hands swayed gracefully. He watched as the small chains around her hips made her movement come to life as they shifted with her. The silk around her form swayed lightly, blocking very little light as it did. James was mesmerized by the figure until he realized she was making her way to him.

Her bare feet stepped lightly onto the small steps as she inched closer to him. He watched as she danced around him and teased his face with her delicate fingers before she returned to the stage.

_Well, they sure know how to have a wonderful time._ He thought to himself as he watched the woman take a bow and leave.

"Sir." the small voice knocked him back into reality. "This was left for you."

He waited until the waitress was completely gone before opening the small envelope she had handed him. Inside was yet another note.

_Meet me on the roof of the building across the street._

Leaving a few pounds on the table, James stood and left the dark room.

He waited for what seemed like hours before he heard the foot steps of another walking up behind him. He turned and saw a dark figure approach him.

"You must be Mirage." he said.

No response. The figure just kept advancing.

"Who are you?" James asked again, his hand moving towards his gun.

"I suggest you don't do that Mr. Bond." said a male voice.

James waited until the figure had made his way into the light. Panic gripped him as he starred at the person before him. It was like he was looking into a mirror.

"You couldn't find a better face to take other then mine?" He asked, his senses coming back to him.

"But it is such a pretty face." the person answered sarcastically.

"Thank you." James replied. "So you are Mirage."

"And you must be the infamous James Bond." he replied with a smile.

"Well I don't think _infamous _is a proper title." he said.

"Oh I do."

"So I am to protect you am I?"

"That's what they told me. Although I'm not so sure you are capable." Mirage said.

Without warning, Mirage bolted after James, landing a blow on his jaw. After taking a few seconds to recoup from the unprovoked hit, James lunged at the man disguised as himself. An immense fight commenced between the two men. Blow for blow, they matched each other's strike. Stumbling back, James was unnerved to find that this man had obviously been studding him closely. As the fight wore on, the two became increasingly tired. There was a final strike before the fight ended. The piercing sound of flesh on jaw echoed through the night before one of The Bonds lay on the ground, unconscious and motionless.


	3. Chapter 3

He lay in a hospital bed for around a day with no sign of life until he slowly began to open his eyes. The room around him was still fuzzy and out of focus, but he noticed some one in the corner.

He watched as the figure stood and walked to his bed side. They knelt down until they had come into view. It was M.

"Well that wasn't quite the meeting we had in mind." M said to the still dazed man. "Although I suppose I should have warned you not to fight with him."

From the corner of his eye, another figure came into view. It was James.

"It seems I knocked him around a bit." he replied as he got a good look at the man in the bed, before turning to sit in the chair M had previously occupied.

"You shouldn't have hurt him this much Bond." M replied in an annoyed tone that James knew all to well. "You were suppose to protect him, not hospitalize him."

"M… I'm." the man in the bed was trying to say.

"James…" M said inching closer to him. "Is that you?"

The man in the bed said nothing, just nodded his head the best he could. M turned her head quickly to look at the man she had thought was her agent smiling at her in the corner of the room.

"Bloody hell." M remarked.

"I thought he was suppose to be the best you had?" the imposter asked.

"That is not funny." M said, turning her surprise into rage. "What gives you the authority to start beating my agents?"

"I had to test him and unfortunately he failed."

"How dare you!" M hissed.

"How am I suppose to be protected by a man that I can beat?" he asked.

"Our agency agreed to help you. Not to let you take advantage of our hospitality."

"If he's the best you got, I'll take my chances on my own thank you."

With those final words, the man left the room. M stayed behind, deciding not to follow him. But she couldn't help but think of what a living hell she could make his life.

"Perhaps you should tell his boss they need to find some one else." James said, trying to sit up in the bed.

"His boss?"

"Mr. Connors."

"I'm afraid there is no Mr. Connors James."

"What?"

"There never was." M's voice grew quiet as she watched her words sink into James' head.

Anger gripped him to the point of yelling but he with held the urge. James was beginning to feel much better, perhaps it was the adrenaline from being so mad that was coursing through his body. He had never been tricked the way this man fooled him. If anything, he actually felt a little hurt. But then again, he was also a little impressed.

"I am done with this." James said, remembering he was still enraged.

"James, we made a deal." she replied reluctantly. "I don't like this any more then you do."

"Anymore then I do?! Who's the one lying in the bloody hospital bed?"

"Look, if you want to be a child then I will treat you like a child. But whether or not you like it, we need this."

James shot her a questioning look.

"You have no idea how much this opportunity will help us James."

"I don't care!" James yelled. His anger forcing itself through.

"Well I do!" M yelled back. "When have I ever cared about your little tantrums?"

James said nothing, only sulked as he looked forward, avoiding her eyes.

"I will have a talk with him and we shall see what we can do with this situation."

M said nothing more, just stood and left James alone in his hospital room. For once James wished he wasn't as good as he knew he was. Perhaps they would have found some one else if he wasn't the best. But who was he fooling? James knew he could only be as he was made.


	4. Chapter 4

**This one is a little short, but i hope you still like it.**

The following day, James sat outside the hospital on a bench over looking the ocean when he heard footsteps come from behind him. Turning his head, he saw himself walking up to him.

"What in the bleeding hell do you want?" he asked, not attempting to mask his hatred for the man before him.

"I have come to apologize." he said.

"Really?" James asked skeptically.

"Yes. I am truly sorry for what I did, but in my line of work, it is hard to find some one you can trust, especially with your life."

"I am not in charge of your life."

"You are in charge of keeping it safe, and there in lies the problem."

"Problem?"

"The only way I can stay alive is to impersonate others. But unfortunately, to drive these people out, I have to remove my disguises."

"I'm still unaware of the problem." James replied, still not completely listening.

"Hasn't it occurred to you yet that if I could have taken care of it then they would already be gone?" He asked. James turned to look at him. "And if I can beat you, then I am as good as dead. You are useless to me."

"Some apology." James scoffed.

The imposter said nothing, just shook his head.

"Well if no one knows what you look like, then what is the danger of you revealing yourself?" his sarcasm returning and stronger then ever.

"They've seen me."

"Well I am sorry for that but you are going to have to help yourself." James replied turning to look out at the sea again. "After all, that sounds like a bit of a personal problem."

"Perhaps you will change your mind."

The imposter James stood and began to walk away, but turned.

"I'm not such a bad person you know. Some people have grown rather fond of me."

"And some have grown rather dead."

"That's different. Do you really think you are capable to pass judgment on me Mr. Bond?" he asked as he began to walk back towards him.

James said nothing, just continued to look forward. He didn't like this feeling, inadequacy, it wasn't pleasant.

"I could tell you I did what I had to when I killed all of those people, but it would be a lie to say it wasn't something I was good at." he said as still advanced.

The imposter made his way back to James and knelt down in front of him forcing the real one to look him in the eyes.

"Perhaps, we aren't so different… you and I." he said.

James noticed his hand moving to his neck. His stomach turned when he thought he saw the man pull the skin up from his neck. He continued to watch in disgust before he realized the man was pulling out a small micro chipped pad from underneath his collar.

"We both wear masks to keep people away."

James' eyes bolted to the figure in front of him. The man whom he thought was a man, suddenly had a very feminine voice. As he gazed into Mirage's eye, he saw something familiar, but wasn't quite able to place it.

"If you still wish to help…" Mirage said standing. "I will find you. But if not…" he said setting the micro chipped pad next to James. "Then perhaps I will not live to see you again."

Bond sat in silence, stewing in his thoughts, there was so much new information to try and comprehend. How could that be a woman? It didn't look like a woman. Was she really a she? James was beginning to question everything. He turned his head and watched as his mirror double disappeared.

James quickly stood from his seat, nearly loosing his balance in the process. Once the blood had pumped back into his head, he ran to his room, hoping to find his cell phone to get a hold of M. He had quite a few questions for her, and she was going to have to answer for all of them.


	5. Chapter 5

Bursting through M's doors wasn't the smart thing to do but James was thinking right now. He had been so angry and confused since he and Mirage had parted company, that he decided to have a few 'words' with M.

"Why didn't you tell me Mirage was a woman?"

"What?" she asked, not bothering to look at him.

"Why in bloody hell wasn't I told that Mirage was a woman?!"

"I didn't know." M replied, setting down her papers.

"What is this then?" James asked, throwing the pad at her.

"If you insist on acting like this then perhaps you would be good enough to start looking for a new job. But if you calm down, then maybe I can speak with you." M said eyeing him.

James watched as M examined the small pad in her hands. Holding it closely to a magnifying glass, she was able to get a better look, but still had no clue.

"Where did you get this?"

"Mirage took if from _her _neck when we spoke together earlier." he said calming down and having a seat.

"You've spoken with her?"

He said nothing, only nodded. M stared at the small contraption before placing it on the vocals chords on her neck.

"What did you speak about?" she asked, only it wasn't in her voice.

Slightly shocked, she removed the pad from her throat and starred at it some more. She had just spoken in her employees voice, matched word for word.

"Bloody brilliant." she said setting it down on the desk. "So this is how she is so good at concealing herself. She must program a person's voice into this little device and she can imitate them almost perfectly."

"That was what I had figured."

"There is no need for you to get smart with me Bond." M said glaring at him.

"And there's something else."

M said nothing, she just continued to stare at James, waiting for him to talk.

"I think she's been following me."

"You're probably right."

"Well that wasn't exactly the answer I was looking to hear."

"I am not here to sugar coat anything for you Bond. I am not your mother."

James smiled at the remark. The thought of M acting motherly to anyone was rather funny to him. He never pictured her for being one of those people that would be at their child's football game.

"What would you do if you were suppose to trust some one with your life?" M continued. "You would most likely follow them too."

She was right. It is something he would have done no matter the type of case.

"Is there something else?" M asked seeing James go quiet.

"I'm wondering if I wouldn't need a few toys?" he asked with a sly smile.

"You're thinking Q might have a few things for you this time?"

"I was hoping so. You know how he loves inventing new things for the agents."

"Well he doesn't have much time to enjoy them once he gives them to you." she replied skeptically.

"What do you mean?" he asked smiling like a child.

"Well let's see. There was the new car that you managed to drive off a cliff side. The GPS watch with a communicator that you inexplicably broke despite the reinforced diamond face and steel band. There is no telling how much money you have cost MI6 over these past few months alone. God only knows what you'll cost if you last more then a year."

Despite her attempt to threaten or scare him, she was actually becoming very amusing. The fact that he had begun smiling made her even more irritated which in turn made her all the more entertaining to watch. It was a vicious circle and he loved it. Even though she claimed to hate him so thoroughly, he knew that he was he favorite out of all the other agents.

He may be blunt, uncaring, reckless and completely out of control when he was on the job, but he got results. And James knew that was the only important thing to her.

"Does that mean no?" he laughed.

"That means you should try and show some self restraint before you get any other 'toys' as you call them." her tone aggravated.

Even though he wasn't going to get anything special, he knew he was stuck in this situation with Mirage. He could fight all he wanted, but M was a stone when it came to things like this. James decided that perhaps it was time for him to go. The pink shade in M's skin was becoming brighter. She was about to blow.

"So what is your answer James?" M asked as he opened the door to leave. "You know you don't have a choice with this situation."

"It sounds like fun." James replied before vanishing from her office like he had done so many times before.

"Another fun meeting?" Money penny asked with a smile as he left.

"As always."

"Something tells me M wouldn't see it that way." she laughed.

"You know M, never one to admit she was having fun." he said winking at her just before disappearing into the elevator.

_It's time to go home. _He thought as he descended floor after floor. _Maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow._

James released a sigh of relief as he threw his keys onto the small table by his front door. After the passed two days, one good night of relaxation was needed.

He walked to the bar he had near the fireplace and began to pour himself some whiskey.

"I appreciate it."

The voice startled him but he kept his composure on the outside.

"Appreciate what exactly?" he asked as he turned to face the voice hidden in the shadows.

"You agreeing to help me." the voice said, flicking on the lamp that sat on a table near her.

"Is this really what you look like or are you fooling me again?" he asked eying the heavy set brunette woman sitting in front of him.

"No." she smiled. "This is not me. But I don't want to distract you."

James laughed to himself as he sat on the footstool across from her.

"Then how am I suppose to protect something when I don't know what it looks like?" he asked smiling and leaning forward slightly. "And besides, I think I could control myself around you."

His arrogant tone annoyed her somewhat but she decided not to let him see it affect her. After all, she had heard stories about him, and she had been watching him for weeks now.

"You will see me for what I am sure enough." she said leaning in slightly as well. "Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Here?" he asked somewhat surprised. "How did you even get in here?"

"You're not the only one with talents you know." she said smiling.

"Apparently not." he agreed. "I was unaware Americans had skills in that manner."

"What makes you think I'm an American?" she asked, leaning back. A look of offense crossing her lips.

"The accent." he replied.

"Accents can be misleading." she replied as she stood from her seat.

"The bathroom is through there." he said pointing down the hallway.

"I know." she said as she vanished out of sight.

James sat contemplating what had just happened. No one had ever broken into his home before. No one even knew where he lived. A sudden feeling of vulnerability swarmed him. He remembered doing the same thing to M a while back, and it hadn't occurred to him how she felt afterwards. Now he had a first person point of view. As he sat back and finished his drink, he remembered he had cameras throughout his loft.

He smiled to himself as he made his way to the bookcase. Grabbing a red book spine and removing it, he stood back as the shelves parted and four small TVs were exposed, each pointing to a specific room in his home. He knew it was cliché hiding spot for things like this, but some of the best hiding spots were the obvious ones people would usually overlooked. As he glanced down to the one that would be in his bathroom, there was a small note taped to the screen. He smiled to himself as he opened it and began to read the small writing.

There was only eight words on the paper, _did you really think I would find this?_ he was defeated. He smiled again and went to sit in his seat, but before he could he heard the shower water stop.

He anxiously starred down the hall, waiting to see what would emerge this time. Slowly she came into view.

Standing before him was a tall woman with the same brown hair as before, but instead of the blue eyes he had seen before, they were brown. He couldn't see much as far as figure went since she was shrouded in multiple layers of men's shirts and sweat pants. But her face looked the same as before. The same thin lips, chubby cheeks, nothing very impressive. He didn't understand why she thought it would be distracting.

"Is this you?" he asked eying the unimpressive woman in front of him.

"Sure." she said looking up and down her form. "Does it really matter Bond?"

"I suppose not. But tomorrow, I need you to wear this." he said, standing and grabbing a Red silk dress. "Although it may need to be let out."

His snide remark stabbed at her and she felt her rage rise. She walked to him, snatched the dress from his hands, and turned to walk away.

"Did I strike a chord with you my dear?" he asked.

"I seriously doubt you could get to me." she replied, not meeting his eyes.

He could feel the hatred coming from her. It was billowing from her like thick black smoke from a chimney. He felt slightly embarrassed. He looked down to try and find some words to make the situation more comfortable, but when he looked up, she was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**This one is just a little long, but it does pick up.**

James listens to the sound of the passing cars as he makes his way to the hotel. He was to meet her in the main ball room and later try and get into the private bar in the back. His part in this was simple, but that wouldn't stop his 'reckless cowboy' nature to come through. M had made in a point to drill it into his head that he is there to only play his part. His one and only purpose is to sit, dance, drink and watch the people around him. Hopefully finding who, if any of them, was the supposed assassin.

He felt his excitement rise as he walked through the beautifully decorated lobby and into the just as impressive ball room. James made his way into the elaborate room, and found himself a set at one of the small tables near a wall. His eyes gazing from person and person, trying to assess the types of people they were. Suddenly, his eyes were guided up and saw a striking blond woman walking into the large archway.

James felt his jaw drop slightly as he realized the woman walking up to him was the woman he had seen the night before. It was the dress he had given her that gave it away. And the only thing that gave it away really. The Red silk seemed to float on air, not even grazing her skin. He stared at her perfect curves on her body, her bright blond hair gliding down her back in delicate curls. The brightness of her blue eyes played off her light skin beautifully and was well accented by her luscious lips. She smiled as she saw his expression.

She circled the table and glided her hand up his arm before planting a kiss, completely dispassionate in feeling but not in appearance, on his neck. Hoping to keep up appearances to anyone who cared to look.

"Is this the real you?" he whispers into her ear.

"Surprised?" she asked pulling away from him and looking into his eyes.

"Clearly…" he said smiling. "British?"

"Quite." she replied, sitting in a chair opposite him.

James felt his eyes follow her as she walked away, feeling part of him leaving with her and feeling his heart race at the small traces of her perfume that hung in the air long after she moved to her seat.

"Some wine?" the waiter asked, coming up from behind.

James nodded his head while she smiled sweetly as the young man filled their glasses. He raised his glass politely to her and waited for one in return before taking a sip.

James stands and nods to the other players before walking to his lady friend, still sitting in her chair at the bar.

"Have you found anything?" she asked smiling to him, making it appear that they were flirting to anyone who could be watching.

"I have a few assumptions." he replied, gliding his hand down her cheek. "You?"

"The same."

"I didn't know you were a British woman." he said smiling.

"Why would you?" she replied. "Would you like to dance?"

James smile dissipated slightly at the randomness of what she said until he noticed one of the men from his table had walked up beside him.

"Shall we?" he asked, extending his arm for her to grasp.

"We shall." she said, taking his arm.

He held her hand in his as they made their way to the large dance floor. The two of them glided elegantly around the floor, demanding the attention of all who were near by. To his delight, the tempo of the music picked up and with an evil grin, he spun her wildly out before pulling her in close.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked with a sly smile.

"Never been more certain." he replied before sweeping her from her feet and swinging her around.

The two of them sambaed around the floor, taking any opportunity to make the other look inadequate. It had honestly become thoroughly enjoying before something caught Mirage's attention.

"Did you see that?" she whispered to him as he pulled her close.

"Yes." he replied simply. "Smile nicely and let's go."

When the song ended, the two of them playfully bowed to one another before leaving. The two of them made their way to the elevator in the corner of the room, flirting slightly like two school children. As they entered the elevator, he planted a kiss on her neck, making sure people would see, before the doors closed.

They rode the elevator in silence until it stopped on their floor. And as if on cue, they begin their facade of a loving relationship, just as the doors began to open. They flirt further and nearly stumble to the room.

"Did you notice it?" Mirage asked, whispering into James' ear as he grabbed her for a close hug.

"Yes." he replied in the same low voice.

"What do you wish to do?" she asked.

"This."

With out provocation, James grabbed her leg through the long slit in the font of the dress and slid it to his waist as he pushed her to the wall. As her back hit the wall lightly but loud enough to make a sound, she gasped, a sound that James loved his female pursuits and co-workers to make. He pulled his face back just enough to see her eyes, his lips nearly grazing hers. As he went into kiss her lips, she quickly turned her head and allowed him to go to her neck. He smiled slightly at her refusal, but went to work none-the-less.

"When I say…" she whispered before he bit her lightly. "Spin me around you."

He said nothing, just nodded his head as he noticed her fingers slipping to her other thigh. He saw she had a small holster strapped to the interior of her thigh with small daggers encased in it. He felt her nip at his ear lightly before she whispered _go._

Without hesitation, he swung her around, still holding her hand. The sudden movement caused her dress to swirl in the newly created wind. James watched with a new found appreciation for the young woman, as the four daggers she had placed in between her fingers were released and found their target.

After four loud thuds, the hallway was once again quiet and motionless. James and Mirage walked up to the four lifeless bodies of hit-men that had crept up behind them. Each with a knife in his forehead, directly between the eyes.

"Well, that's a bit of a mess." Mirage said.

"Hmm." was James' only reply.

"What do you suppose we do about them?" she asked as she walked up to the lifeless hulks of men.

"I'll call M." he replied, watching her as she yanked each of the blades from her victims skulls, and wiping the blood on their jackets before replacing them.

"Well, we can't very well leave them here."

"I suppose not. There." James pointed to a closet. "We'll just put them in there for now."

The two of them quickly went to work, lifting and shoving the bodies out of sight before some one came into the hallway and saw them. James watched in horrid fascination as the small framed woman lifted one of them men over her shoulders and tossed him inside with seemingly no problem doing it.

Once the job was done, Mirage looked at her hands, and James' shirt, noticing traces of blood.

"We must go." she said in a low voice, the sound of a door unlocking echoed in the quiet hallway.

"Agreed." he said as he buttoned his jacket, concealing the evidence.

Once inside the safety of the room, Mirage rushed into her bathroom and quickly washed her hands. James walked to his closet, removed his jacket and tainted shirt. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw James' perfectly formed body. She had to admit, it made her insides jump, but that wasn't her focus. Her eyes turned back to the immense mirror in front of her. She glared at her own reflection.

Mirage didn't flinch as she heard the foot steps of James as he walked into the bathroom doorway. He said nothing for a while, just watched. Watched as her shaking hands planted themselves firmly on either side of the sink, her arms locked in their position, her shoulders sank, and her eyes locked on herself. He saw the hatred in her eyes as she continued to watch her figure starring back at her.

"Something wrong?"

"Nothing." she remarked before letting her head collapse, her hair falling to cover her face.

He continued to stand there until she finally showed movement and turned to leave. She stopped when she was unable to move around him.

"Please move." she asked. Her voice sounded different, it was quivering.

He looked into her eyes and saw them begin to glass over, as though she was going to cry.

Saying nothing, he moved out of her way and let her walk pass him. He just watched as she went to the bar, made herself a drink and swallowed it quickly.

"It still bothers you doesn't it?" he asked.

"What?"

"Killing them." he said, buttoning his new shirt as he walked up to her.

"I'm not as much like you as I had previously stated." she said, her voice quiet and sad. "I still feel them, inside me."

James didn't reply.

"They say with every kill, you lose a piece of your humanity, a piece of your soul." she said. "I fear I'm losing it piece by piece."

"And you think you won't have one left? Is that what you're saying."

She felt a surge charge up her spine, like she was being snapped back into herself. She didn't like that he was becoming any closer to him.

"I do what I have to survive." she turned to face him.

"You don't have to keep doing it you know." he said walking up to her, placing his hands on her arms.

"It's the only thing I'm good at. Hiding … killing." she replied.

"I suppose you've learned not to trust anyone in your line of work."

"I learned the hard way." she said as she inched closer to him. "I can't afford to get close to anyone. That is why I agreed to you instead of another agent."

"What's so special about me?" he asked, getting closer to her. He was surprised that she let him circle his arms around her.

His lips were nearly touching hers. He could feel electricity pulsing through him. He wanted to take her but for once he managed self-control.

"I could tell you wouldn't get emotionally involved with me. You keep yourself as guarded as I do. You can't help it. Some one hurt you in the past." her lips grazing his as she spoke.

He didn't like that she was right. He had once let himself get too close to a woman in one of his earlier cases. It was a hard learned lesson for him as well.

"So you thought I would be the best candidate because I was heartless?"

"No. Not heartless." she said pulling away from him. "I just knew it would be harder to melt a cold heart."

He watched as she walked towards her room.

"I'm afraid you will have to go back yourself."

James nodded his head in an approving manner before he released her to leave the room.

After he had gained access to the bar down stairs, James couldn't help but think of the woman in their hotel room. His mind would wander in and out of thoughts about her, hardly able to keep focus on the task at hand, the whole reason he had been brought there.

Finally as the clock neared midnight, he decided it would be time to get back to her. Hopefully she would be sleeping, possibly heavily medicated. James slowly made his way to the top of the hotel, to the penthouse he and Mirage shared.

As he approached the door, he knew something wasn't right. He quickly opened the door and found the room in shambles. Tables were turned over, curtains were torn from the walls and glasses were broken.

"Mirage…" he said. "Mirage!"

James frantically ran through the rooms, trying to find any sign of her. As he threw open the door to her room, he saw two bodies lying on the floor, the same blades as before sticking from them.

_Good girl._ he thought to himself, _you didn't go without a fight._


	7. Chapter 7

**Again, this one is a little long, but i couldn't find anywhere to cut it off for a new chapter...**

A bolt of reality struck him with such intensity, he thought he would lose his balance. She was gone, she was in the hands of the people that were after her with a great passion and he had to find her. Running from her room, he grabbed his keys from a nearby dresser and fled the suite. The massive door hadn't even swung shut by the time James was halfway down the stairs.

_Bloody elevators takes too long._ He thought to himself as he sprinted down the stairs, taking two or three at a time. He slid on the slick tiles of the entry way, losing his balance for a moment as he rounded the corner and headed out the front door.

He darted through the people and sprang over the small curbs and hills that stood between him and his car. Again he slid, this time trying to come to a halt at his car and nearly missing the door's handle in the process.

Once inside his car, he sped off in pursuit, not knowing where he was going.

"M!" he yelled into his phone.

"Yes Bond what is it?" she answered. "There is no need to yell."

"She's gone, they've taken her!"

"What are you going on ab…" she stopped mid-sentence. "You bloody idiot! How could you have let her out of your sight!"

"That's not the point now M, where is she?" he demanded.

"Keep calm. Just give me a moment."

"We don't have a moment!" he yelled.

"She's heading north on a country road. I'll send the directions to your phone."

"Is she still alive?"

"I don't know Bond." she said, her voice angry and annoyed at his stupidity. "All she has is a tracking node. She doesn't have the same implant as you."

There was a very distinct click at the other end of the line. M had hung up on him in her frustration. He didn't mind, his only concern was hoping to reach her in time before all that was left of her were small pieces.

_I just hope she's as good as she thinks she is. _he thought.

He continued to speed away up the road until something caught his attention. A car on the side of the road that seemed to have crashed into a small stone wall that was most likely the border of a farm. He slowed and finally stopped just feet from it. When he looked inside and saw a man at the wheel slumped over.

"Sir…" he said as he placed his hand on the man's shoulder and leaned his head back.

A bolt of shock came down his back as he saw a jagged cut across his neck. The man was obviously dead. He stepped back and felt his foot hit something on the ground. Under his foot were a pair of bloody hand cuffs lying on the asphalt.

As he knelt down to pick them up, he saw a small piece of Red silk stuck to them. It was a part of her dress.

The sound of his phone ringing brought him out of his intense state of thinking. After a brief search in his pocket, he answered it.

"Yes?"

"Bond." It was M. "She's stopped moving. Our trackers put her at three miles north east of your current location."

"Right." he replied before hanging up.

Ignoring the site, he got back into his car and left. The new location had been sent to his phone as a blinking spot. As he neared the dot on his phone, he slowed and parked the car a distance away so it would be less likely for him to get noticed.

He crept up to the small warehouse and darted in and out of the shadows, staying hidden. There was a window only a few feet from him, the light shown dimly onto the ground, but he could see figures walking around inside. Once the figures had seemed to hold a single position, he made his way to the window and peered in.

He squinted, trying to see through the dirty window. It had been caked in grease and dirt from over the years. Disgusting. Using the sleeve of his jacket, James wiped a small area as clean as he could, praying no one would see him in the process.

There were seven heavily armed men standing in a circle around something in the center of the room. One of them, the largest it seemed, held a whip in his hand. James watched as his massive arm swung back and then forward, electing a loud crack.

But no cries in pain.

They were speaking to each other in a language James didn't understand but recognized. Japanese or perhaps Cantonese. The two languages were very similar.

The larger of the men, the one with the whip, was yelling something to someone, but James couldn't see who. Then a woman's voice was heard. She was yelling at them. James felt a surge of regret when he remembered M had tried to get him to learn other languages. But being the stubborn ass that he was, he refused.

The same man then made a motion with his arm. Three of the others made their way to a table that was just out of James' view and retrieved something. When he glanced back at the original group, he saw the train of Mirage's dress, his heart leapt. She was at least alive, although he couldn't tell what kind of shape she was in.

He continued to watch as the three men made their way back to the ring leader, and handed him a small box. The leader set in on a table beside him and removed perhaps the worst looking device James had ever seen. It was a severely rusted and dulled knife. He cringed seeing chunks of flesh still clinging to the dirty blade. There was no telling how many poor people had met their demise by the torturous device.

His mind was still trying to wrap itself around the knife before he noticed the other men's attention were drawn to a far corner. A voice called to them from deep within the cover of shadow.

"Did you honestly think you would be able to run from us forever?" a man's voice asked, his accent was almost to thick to understand.

The new man motioned for the others to take a step back as he stepped into the light. James could finally see her. She was seated backwards in a chair, tied at her wrists and ankles. Her back blistered and bleeding, the dress torn where the whip had made contact. She looked frail and tired, it was almost heart breaking. There were fresh wounds all over her, ranging from her back to her face. His attention soon diverted from her to her capture.

He was a good looking Asian man, most likely in his late twenties with his hair slicked back and an attractive business suit. He walked with a superiority that seemed to resonate from his very being. He was cocky, and he didn't care who knew it, made all the more evident by the twisted smile that graced his lips when he spoke.

"I didn't credit you with an over abundance of brains I suppose." she replied defiantly, her own evil smile making an appearance. "My mistake."

"A mistake, I don't think you will be around to repeat." He replied as he came closer to her.

"I was surprised it took you this long Tokoshi, but then again, not much can be said for your pack of hunting dogs." her eyes were cold and mean as she motioned to the surrounding men.

"You were my greatest pursuit." he said as he knelt down to her face, caressing it lightly. "But you betrayed my hospitality." His thin fingers squeezed her face, causing her to wince at the pain.

"What did you expect me to do?" she asked, tearing her face from his hand and smiling once again. "Your clan was just too easy."

James winced as the sound of a slap echoing through the room.

"How dare you!" Tokoshi growled. "You had the audacity to come after my family?! And you thought you would be immune to my vengeance?"

"Oh quit your whining. Let us just get it over with shall we?"

"You think it will be that easy?" he asked, standing once again. "It will not be quick and painless like it was with them."

He looked at her with a pure hatred that surrounded him. For the first time since he had met her, James saw fear in Mirage's eyes.

"By the time we are through with you, death will be welcomed."

"You can't do anything more to me." she said, her voice defeated as she lowered her face. "You already took away everything I loved."

"Their blood is on your hands." he laughed.

His words shot through her. In a fruitless attempt, she tried to free herself from her restraints. James could see blood beginning to drip from her wrists where the handcuffs had begun to dig in. She was becoming increasingly tired and her actions became weaker. Finally, she had no choice but to stop.

"The last thing you will know in this life time, Tokoshi, is just how spiteful I truly can be."

James decided enough was enough, it was time for him to do something. He couldn't just let them kill her.

Behind him was a tree with low hanging branches. Thinking quickly, he climbed up, deep enough into the foliage as not to be seen in the dark. He found a sturdy footing and began to screw the silencer onto his gun. Taking careful aim, he took a few shots through the window.

The larger of the men stood for a moment before falling to the ground. Once the others ran to his side to see what was wrong, James fired off a few more shots before they became conscious of where the shots were coming from. James climbed higher in the tree. Hearing their orders yelled at them, he jumped to the roof and watched as more men filed out and began to search for the shooter.

Quietly, James crept along the roof, and finding a stack of crates before he descended. Being sure to stay in the shadows, James made his way inside the building and to Mirage's side. She was motionless. A quick fear that she might have been hit by a stray bullet shot through his mind before he noticed her breathing.

"Bond?" she asked, her voice quiet and broken.

She felt her heart leap as a hand slid under her chin and lifted it to his eyes.

"James…" her voice was kind and loving this time.

"Never called me that before." he said smiling.

"I was never happy to see you before." she joked.

"Come, let's get you out of here."

He moved to her arms which were still cuffed to either side of the chair and took aim, shooting them free. Then doing the same to her feet which were cuffed at the ankles.

"Come on." he said as he tried to lift her.

"Just leave me James." she said, trying to push him away.

Her words shocked him.

"What?" he asked, hoping he didn't hear what he thought he heard.

"Just leave me." she repeated. "You shouldn't have come. You would have been better off to let them kill me."

"Come on." he said, lifting her into his arms. "I'm not leaving you here. M would have me murdered if I did."

He smiled at the small laugh he caused her to make.

"I'm serious James, let me die. This will never end as long as I am alive."

"I said I'd protect you, so I will."

"And I remember saying you weren't any good at it." she laughed.

"Well I see you wit is as quick as ever." he told her kindly. "Come on now, we have to go."

"You don't know anything about me. Please, for once in your life, don't be an idiot." she said, this time looking him in the eyes.

He could see tears welling up, threatening to break free from her perfectly blue eyes.

"Why?" was the only thing he could manage to say.

"I'm a monster, James, and there is no place for me in the world."

"She is right you know."

The new voice made James spin around. The girl limply moving with him, her tattered dress hanging from her body.

"You should have left her alone. But now, I am afraid you both must die." Tokoshi said, bringing a concealed gun from beneath his jacket.

"Tokoshi-san." she began, her speech quickly turning into the earlier spoken language.

James didn't understand exactly what she was saying but he could tell she was either trying to bargain with him or she was pleading with him. Most likely to spare James' life.

"No my dear, I think I will kill him now." he replied with an icy smile.

He aimed his gun and fired a shot straight into James' shoulder. He could feel the bullet rip through his flesh and exit on the other side. Crying out in pain, James dropped Mirage with a loud thud on the ground. He grasped his shoulder and moved closer to her but she wasn't moving.

"That the best you've got?" James taunted as he turned away from her.

"No." Tokoshi replied as he placed his gun in it's original position. "But it will do for now."

James kept his ground as Tokoshi walked closer to him. He couldn't help but laugh at the man. But without notice, Tokoshi's fist swung down and landed on James' jaw. The last thing James remembered before the lights went black, was the searing pain in his shoulder, now coupled with the throbbing in his jaw.


	8. Chapter 8

Shaking his head, trying to relieve it of the throbbing pain, James opened his eyes. A few feet from him was Mirage, once again tied up, this time in a sitting position like him. As he blinked to focus his eyes, James saw Tokoshi sitting in a chair just opposite him, twirling the same dangerous looking blade he had seen before in his fingers. The rest of his men had begun circling the room. Apparently James hadn't shot near enough of them. There was still about ten or so of them lingering around.

"Ah, you are awake." he said noticing James watching him. "The fun can now begin."

"What are you going to do to us?" he asked.

"Nothing you will live through." his laugh was as cold as the rest of him.

"Like I haven't heard the same bullshit from some one else before." James said.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"You see, I knew he couldn't be as stupid as you told me." James laughed turning to Mirage. She giggled in response.

A hand shot out and hit James in the face, almost as hard as before. James let out a loud laugh as he spit the blood now pouring from his lip.

"I think you missed a spot." James said laughingly.

Tokoshi's hand shot out again, this time striking from the other direction.

"Fool. I can do this all night long" Tokoshi replied sneering.

James continued to laugh his defiance, not really caring what was going to happen. Tokoshi decided to use his gun to pistol whip James. This time electing a loud crack.

"Did I hear one of your teeth break? Perhaps I should have told you. I am use to dealing with the mouth on this one." Tokoshi said, walking to Mirage's side. "And what a beautiful mouth it is."

James watched as Tokoshi greedily kissed her and pawed at her. She fought as best she could, but was becoming weak from the blood escaping from her wounds.

Tokoshi drew back with a look of triumph on his face as he brought his hand to her face again and squeezed it once more, just to watch her squirm.

"I swear to you, the moment I am free of this, I will kill you myself." she said.

Tokoshi smiled.

"I don't think so." He walked away and picked up his blade and turned back to them. "I know what would hurt you the most, my dear."

Mirage watched as her enemy made his way to James and knelt down in front of him. Taking the dullest end of the blade, he dug it into James' leg and twisted it. James screamed but quickly silenced himself.

"You see, I know she will not cry out." he said, digging the blade into his thigh again, "But watching this happen to you….will be torture."

Tokoshi continued to torture James as Mirage watched, helpless to stop it.

"You know, if you were a real man, you would pick on a woman your own size." Mirage finally said, taunting Tokoshi.

"Perhaps, you are right. It is you I am more interested in. But I am almost finished."

Mirage couldn't take much more of this. Her anger would rise each time she heard James scream in agony.

"Stop it…" she said in a low voice.

Tokoshi ignored her and stabbed at James again. This time as he screamed he turned to face her making her heart jerk in pain.

"Stop it." she repeated, her voice a little louder then before.

Again ignoring her, Tokoshi continued to stab at James, the sheer enjoyment of the situation apparent on his face.

"Stop it!" she finally yelled as she struggled with her restraints.

Before the other men could make their way to her side, she managed to free one of her hands just enough to swing at them. With a quick movement, she stood and swung her chair at an approaching assailant, busting the weak wood almost to shreds.

With her legs and arms now free, she began to beat whoever would come near her. James felt a slight swelling of pride within him as he watched this. Once she had finished with them, she ran to Tokoshi and landed a fierce blow to his chin, temporarily knocking him down, but something was wrong. She felt a sharp pierce in her gut as he hit the floor. The knife. The knife he had once held in his hand, was now protruding from her stomach.

Peering down at it only made the pain more intense. The realization that she was about to die began to sink in as she pulled the blade out from deep within her. The sheer mass of blood she was losing was finally too much. The room began to fade and she felt herself falling to the ground. James was the last image she saw as she felt her self slip away.


	9. Chapter 9

**I wrote this story a long time ago after 'Casino Royale' and I'm glad I've posted it. Thank you to all of you that commented. This is the very end of it and I hope you enjoy. Thank you.**

The brightness of the room was over powering. The sheer white walls reflected the light to the point of blindness.

"Do you feel better?" a voice said from out of view.

"M?"

"Yes. Do you feel any better?" she asked walking into sight. "You've taken quite a beating."

"Where's James?"

"He is another part of the hospital. Your condition was so bad, we thought we might lose you."

"Is he…"

"He is just fine. You need your rest."

"Bond."

No response.

"For God's sake Bond wake up." M repeated.

He grunted and groaned as he woke from his sleep.

"Oh… it's you M." he said sitting up. "I was having the most wonderful dream."

"Sorry to hear that." she replied. Her tone uncaring.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he asked reaching for a glass of water he noticed out of the corner of his eye.

"I just thought you may want to know she's awake."

He stopped drinking but quickly resumed, hoping M wouldn't notice his hesitation.

"How long?" he asked placing the glass back in it's spot.

"A day or so." M replied, noticing a lightness take over James' face. "I just saw her yesterday."

"Why have you waited to tell me?"

"I thought it would be fun for me to make you wait a day."

"Was it?"

"Not really." her voice stayed eerily mono-toned through their entire conversation. "Rather over-rated."

She smiled. My God, M actually smiled. At least James thought it was a smile. He hadn't ever seen anything like that cross her lips in his presence before, so it was rather hard to distinguish. But after the shock of her grinning surpassed, James found himself taking light in the fact it was at his expense.

After a long pause, M finally spoke again.

"You could have cost Mirage her life Bond."

He said nothing, just drew his eyes to the floor.

"You need to realize that this job is not only about killing people, you have to be able to save some as well."

"I realize that."

"No I don't think you do." she said loudly. "You were reckless and nearly got the both of you killed. If we hadn't traced your movements and gotten there in time you wouldn't be here."

"Anything else?" he asked, this time looking into her eyes.

"You don't know who she is do you?"

"I was under the impression no one did." he said sarcastically.

"Don't be cute with me Bond." her irritation rising once again. "The man that had the two of you was Ishi Tokoshi, the current leader of the Japanese Yakuza. From what we have come to understand, the two of them were once involved until Tokoshi found out she was the one behind the assassination of a few of his colleagues. So as punishment, he killed her family, her friends and everyone that had ever known her. He even tried to have her taken care of, but I suppose he had forgotten she was very good at her job. He lost nine men."

"He's one for theatrics isn't he?"

"Yes well, he didn't make it to the top without being one of the most cut-throat men in his business."

"Did you get him?"

"No." M sighed.

"So he is still out there and you have no idea where he is?"

"That would seem to be the case wouldn't it?"

James fell silent. He wanted to yell and scream his rage, just to let M know how them missing this opportunity made him feel, but seeing her face made him realize she felt it herself. After thinking for a while, James finally spoke.

"Then what do we do now?" he asked rubbing the back of his head.

"We are posting people all around her room to keep her safe. The only ones allowed in or out are specific nurses, doctors and our agents until she is released in the morning."

"And me?"

"You are off the case." she said, rising from her seat and preparing to leave.

"You can't do that."

"Oh yes I can. We will find her some one that can keep her alive this time, and hopefully in one piece. Other then that, you are free to go. The doctors have gotten your release papers ready and you can leave when ever you want."

"May I see her?" he asked, his voice defeated.

"I'm not entirely sure she wants to see you, but if you must, I know I can't stop you."

With her final words M left the small hospital room. James sat there, thinking about what she had said, her words still ringing in his ear.

Painfully, he stood from his bed. His joints and limbs were still horribly sore but he wanted to see how she was doing since he was fairly sure he may never see her again. In a small bag to the side of the room, was some of his clothes. He hurriedly put them on and left the room.

"Excuse me Miss." James said stopping a passing nurse.

"Yes sir?"

"There was a woman brought here with me a few days ago, would you happen to know where she is?"

"I believe she is in the room with the guards outside the door." she laughed. "Down the hall and take your first right, you'll see them."

"Thank you."

With a quickening pace, James walked down the hall and to the right as the nurse had told him. There, only a few doors down was a room with two MI6 guards standing lazily outside them.

As he approached the door, they held out their hands, keeping him from entering.

"Out of my way." he said, eying both of the men.

"I'm sorry sir. This is a secured room." one of the guards said.

"I am James Bond. Double 'O' 7." he said, his voice dripping with distain.

"Oh, sorry sir." he said.

The guards lowered their hands and let him pass. As he entered the room, he noticed a curtain hung around the bed where she was laying. He saw her silhouette laying in the bed, but noticed she was moving, rather uncomfortably by the looks of it. He walked to the curtain and pulled it aside and saw a woman tied to the bed with the sheets and a gag in her mouth. Pulling the gag away he began to work on her restraints.

"Where is the woman that was in here?" he asked as he finished untying the last knot.

"I don't know." she said coughing lightly now that she was free. "I just came in to check her bandages and when I pulled back the curtain she wasn't here. Next thing I know I was laying here tied up."

"You're a nurse?"

"Yes. Why?"

A shock of realization shot through, and he ran from the room. He searched for her, running from corridor to corridor, hoping to catch a glimpse of her, anywhere. Then it hit him, the nurse he spoke with, the one who told him which room to go to. How could he have been so stupid?

She was gone, and there was nothing he could do about it.

A few weeks had passed and there was still no sign of her, of course she was an expert at camouflage.

"She will see you now."

"Thank you Money Penny." James aid, standing from his seat. "What type of mood is she in?"

"The same mood she's always in when it comes to you." she replied with a smile.

"That bad huh?"

M watched the door to her office swing open as James stepped inside and took his usual seat in front of her. She said nothing, just hurled an envelope at him.

Taking it, but still keeping his eye on her, he slid his fingers under the seal and pulled out what was inside.

Removing his gaze from her, he looked at the photographs in his hands. He glanced over the mangled and bloody bodies displayed in them with mild attachment.

"That was once an old friend of yours." M finally said.

"Who?" he asked, still uninterested.

"Ishi Tokoshi." M said, seeing his body tense up. "And a few of his men scattered into the mix."

"So she got him?" he said with a smile on his face as he examined the photos closer.

"Yes well, I suppose she had to eventually. This was left with it." she said, throwing a small card to him.

There was nothing on the card but a nearly transparent writing on one side.

_I will always be watching. And, Thank you James._

He smiled to himself and placed the card in one of his pockets.

"Well, that is that I suppose." James said standing to leave.

"You care for her don't you?" M said as he had made his way to the door, causing him to stop.

"Who?" he asked turning his head slightly.

"Don't play dumb with me Bond." she said shaking her head. "It may work with some women, but it is not something to do with me."

"I never get emotionally attached." he replied, turning his head and facing the door.

"You know, you're not that good of a liar."

With a smile, Bond left her office.


End file.
